Before You Move On...

I wonder how much of your attention you’ll give me before you move on?

Will you make it through this entire piece? No? Yes? I’m guessing the jury’s out.  

And - if I do have your attention - let me ask, are you reading this in a focussed way, or are you simultaneously watching TV whilst browsing social media? 

Let me back up. 

When I quit my job and became a full time musician, 31 years ago, we used to make records.  Albums were a big deal. They still are to some of us.  When an artist or band you loved released an album, it was an event.  You’d buy the record, put it on your carefully set up hi-fi, read the liner notes, and listen really carefully.  And then you would listen again. And again. And listen over, and over, and over until you knew the songs inside and out. Time spent listening produced familiarity in a way that only focussed attention can. 

I remember being on tour when everything started to change. I had never sold enough albums to make me rich, but I had sold enough to support my work, and make the next one.  Until that tour people would wander up to my merch table at the end of a gig and - you’re not going to believe this - pay for my music.  Yep, with real money. But this tour was different. People approached me at the end of each night, not with cash, but with an enthusiastic smile and the phrase, “Thanks for that. Are you on Spotify? You are! Oh great, I’ll listen online later.”  I, like many touring musicians, quickly discovered that enthusiastic smiles don’t put petrol in the tank.

Now, in case you think I’m writing here about the music industry, I’m not.  What I’ve just described is purely symptomatic of a wider shift that has taken place in society over the past decade. The way we consume content has undergone a radical transformation. We are now fed content by algorithms. We listen to bits and pieces of songs. We browse video clips here and there. Our days are a never ending digital conveyor belt of reels and clips. It’s rare we linger anymore.  It’s not often that we know every lyric, every guitar hook, every backing vocal, every synth part, of every song on a record.  In our unending thirst for content we have lost the art of paying attention.  

As a pastor my concern is how this is impacting our souls. When was the last time you sat quietly, prayerfully, unhurriedly, and gave God your full attention? Does he get enough of your time? We cannot scroll our way to a deeply, settled soul.  We cannot sound-byte our way to intimacy with God. The way we consume content is shaping our hearts, and I would argue, not in a healthy way.   

Before the day of Pentecost the first disciples were commanded by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem until they received ‘the promise of the Father’. Only after waiting, praying, lingering, and expecting, did they receive the Holy Spirit and were ‘clothed with power from on high.’ I wonder what our lives would look like if we could adopt the same lingering posture. This might be a journey of discovery for some, and of rediscovery for others, but I believe it’s a journey worth taking. Greater peace, deeper contentment, and spiritual life are ours to receive. Have we so commodified our lives that true spirituality is sacrificed on the altar of dopamine hits and convenience, or can we rediscover a life of true spiritual depth and power?

Where might we begin to change things? 

I would suggest adopting small, repeatable actions that shift our behaviours away from mindless scrolling, to thoughtful reflecting.  Sit and listen - really listen - to a song. Pay attention to the lyric. If you’ve not read for a while, make it a habit of reading a page or two each day for a week.  Think about what you’ve read and how it applies to your life, and then build on this habit. Make a few notes in a journal.  Be intentional about times of prayer.  Even if it’s for a few minutes, think about who you are praying to. Use a liturgy or guide if it helps.  Find a simple Bible reading plan and show up day by day to be fed, challenged, shaped.  But, crucially, learn to wait. Be still. Before you move on, let your soul find satisfaction in God’s presence.   

Our addiction to dopamine isn’t helping any of us, but we can escape the madness. We can learn the habits of being present and unhurried.  Learning to be still and know that He is God, might just be the rescue your heart is longing for. Try it. See how things change. 

Oh, by the way, I did a gig recently and - drum roll please - sold a few CD’s! It seems all is not lost.

Have a great weekend, 

Steve x 

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A few other things…

• I recently discovered this beautiful instrumental album by Nathan Nockels - Everywhere The River Goes. It’s great music to play while working, reading, praying… or simply listening.

• If you want to think more deeply about Jesus, I recommend Dane Ortlund’s book Gentle and Lowly. It really is beautiful.

• My wider music/speaking/writing ministry is helped by the support of others. Over the years that help has come in all kinds of ways, at all kinds of times. It’s been an amazing 31 year journey. Whilst I receive a salary from my church (for which I and my family are extremely grateful), producing new music (which I will be doing this winter… a new album is coming) and travelling to sing or speak in other contexts, can be really challenging. We look to the Lord to meet these needs and many years ago I set up a separate ministry account (Living Praise Ministries) to facilitate this. If you feel led to help, you can do so here: Much love.